I just want to give all of you a heads up that this is a long one. With that said, here we go...

Before we get started I think we should agree to push aside the question of whether or not Congress should be spending its time on this subject. The fact of the matter is that it is dedicating time to this, and because of that, we are left to discuss what transpired today. Also, as we all know in this country you are innocent until proven guilty, however, with that said, I am on record (through different posts on this blog) for believing that Roger Clemens is guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs. Therefore, going into this hearing today, I was very interested to see how the events transpired, and how both Brian McNamee and Clemens would handle themselves.

Both began with opening statements, and right off the bat I did not like how Clemens started. He essentially "kissed-up" to Congress by expressing his condolences on the passing of Representative Tom Lantos. Obviously that was a very nice gesture, but to me, it just seemed like he was politicking for "votes" from the representatives, similar to the way he went and met with Congressmen individually throughout the week preceding this hearing. He was trying to play the good-guy card, and it just seemed phony to me. It was reminiscent of the way he began his personal press conference in December by saying how sorry he was to his college coach for missing the funeral of his son, but he instead had to be here (at his press conference) on that day (which is something that I still don't understand. Why couldn't he have just postponed the press conference for another day?).

On the contrary, I thought McNamee's opening statement was very good. It was to the point, he admitted to doing wrong, and he made a strong case for himself by bringing up Chuck Knoblauch and Andy Pettitte, who both separately concurred with McNamee's statements, before mentioning Roger Clemens.

And this brings up a couple of the only new events of the entire hearing...that both Knoblauch and Pettitte corroborated with what McNamee said, that Pettitte admitted to a later use of HGH, and the fact that Clemens admitted to him about using HGH.

So with that all said, let's get to the congressmen and women. I could not believe how the two parties were so divided. It bothers me enough when it occurs during the State of the Union address, but to happen during this?? That's just ridiculous! Furthermore, I'm not sure I could be more embarrassed by the lack of intelligence and professionalism displayed by many of these representatives (more so the republicans). I always believed that in order to work on Capitol Hill, and represent a state in Congress, you had to be intelligent. Apparently, I was as na

The Mitchell Report

Over the last four years or so, I frequently received text messages or phone calls from one of my best friends that read something like, "You think he's on the juice?" or "HGH." or "Come on, you know he is." I couldn't help but smile each time I received one of these messages, but at the same time I couldn't help but think how sad it is that as a HUGE and knowledgeable baseball fan, this is what he, and for that matter, most of us think when we see certain accomplishments.

So with that said, I know I'm not alone in being very excited to hear what Senator George Mitchell has to say today at 2pm est. And while I'm curious to find out which players cheated by using performance-enhancing drugs, according to his report, I just know that I'm still going to be skeptical about players who were not named. After all, from all the reports we're getting, Mitchell's findings are predominantly coming from the former Mets clubhouse attendant, Kirk Radomski, because other people, whether it's current or former players, refused to name names. So while I'm sure Senator Mitchell did as thorough a job as he could, given the circumstances, there will still be a cloud of doubt hanging over the game, and that period we so affectionately call the "Steroid Era."

Nevertheless, let the games begin...

Prior a free agent

If I'm a team looking for pitching depth, but not in desperate need of immediate help (i.e. the Yankees), I take a chance on Mark Prior and sign him to a two-year deal as long as the price is right. Yes, he's incredible injury-prone, however I still think he's worth the risk if you can get him for between $3-5 million.

Rowand to the Giants

Am I missing something here with Aaron Rowand going to the Giants for five years and $60 million? According to GM Brian Sabean, Rowand is a presence in the order. Really? He had the best year of his career last season hitting .309 with 27 HR and 89 RBI while playing in one of the friendliest hitters parks in all of baseball. He has amassed the 20 HR plateau twice in his career, and knocked in at least 70 runs just once! A presence, or a middle-of-the-order type hitter? I don't think so. He is, however, a great presence in the clubhouse, and a hard-nosed player, which is something this team could use after being so negatively influenced for so many years by Barry Bonds. The only problem is he'll never be judged on that entirely because of the contract he just signed.  

Michael Vick Verdict

I may be in the minority, but I believe Michael Vick got off easy. While it's no sneeze to serve 23 months in jail (I know I would not want to), what he did was absolutely appalling, and he deserved to be punished more harshly. I said this back when the story first broke, and I'll say it again now, I hope he never plays football again. It was a disgusting act, and people like that do not deserve to play a game for a living and be role models for our children.

Unless Roger Goodell agrees with me, the likelihood is that Vick will return to the NFL most likely in 2010. If and when he does, he will not be the same player that we remember. Being away from a sport for as long as he will while serving that time in prison takes its toll, just ask Mike Tyson. Tyson returned to the ring, and even fought for the heavyweight championship, but he was never the fighter we all remembered he was.

Winter Meetings Recap

While many people expected the big story out of the Winter Meetings to be Johan Santana being traded, it turned out to be the Detroit Tigers - Florida Marlins trade involving Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. While there has been much said about this already, I would like to add a few more things.

First things first, this was a very good trade for both teams. While most people believe the Tigers "won" this trade, the Marlins did very well for themselves getting a hard-throwing 22-year old lefty in Andrew Miller, and a player people have called, "The next Ken Griffey, Jr." in Cameron Maybin, who is just 20. Both players were top 10 picks in their respective drafts, and if it weren't for their difficult "signability," they very well could have been among the top three players taken in each draft. In other words, both could be stars for the Marlins as they re-tool for their third championship.

As for the Tigers, yes they improved their ballclub in a big way, and yes they're lineup looks awesome, but I would caution those of you who are already crowning them champions or predicting they'll score 1,000 runs. This lineup will rival the Yankees lineup of 2006 when they had core players like Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Robinson Cano, and Bernie Williams. People thought that lineup was incapable of going into a slump. Well guess what? It did, and did so frequently.

True, the team dealt with injuries to Sheffield and Matsui, but even before then, the team struggled, and it did so for a variety of reasons, but one of them was pressure. Every time one player wasn't doing what he was supposed to, someone else pressed harder to pick up the slack, and before you knew it, everyone was underperforming. Now don't get me wrong, when it's all said and done, the players will all have good numbers. But that's because they'll beat up on the weaker teams as opposed to beating up on the playoff-caliber ones.

The Tigers season will ultimately come down to pitching, and if Willis can return to form of a couple of years ago don't be surprised to see him as their number two pitcher behind Justin Verlander. Jeremy Bonderman typically gets off to good starts and then fizzles in the second half, and Kenny Rogers is getting older and coming off a year in which he battled injuries. Willis has the power arm that can win in the postseason, plus the character to energize the rest of the staff and the team.

The biggest question mark for the team will be Joel Zumaya. The Tigers know they will not have him back until at least June, but more likely July or August if at all. If he is able to come back from major shoulder surgery, and provide that dominance he displayed in 2006, then that will be the reason for the Tigers returning to the World Series, not because of their stacked lineup.

One or Two Year Deals

In the last week we have seen players such as Andruw Jones, Eric Gagne, LaTroy Hawkins, Randy Wolf, and Milton Bradley sign either one or two-year deals with their respective teams. And while Jones and Gagne received large annual amounts, more so than they probably deserved, the trend is something I thoroughly enjoy and agree with. It gives both the player and the team a chance to succeed. If the player does well, both parties are happy. If the player does not perform up to par, then the team is not saddled with a bad contract for years to come. While I don't think it's a great idea for a team to overpay a player, I think it's a much better idea to do so for a short term than a long term, again, just look to the Giants and Barry Zito.

Thanks for all the emails, and please keep them coming. Happy Holidays!

11.29.07

More On Santana...

So I'm sitting here waiting to leave for vacation in the morning, and I can't stop thinking about all of the Johan Santana talk. I truly believe that many of the journalists and talking heads out there are living in the past and not looking at reality. I continually hear people saying that the Yankees MUST trade for him and sign him because he's their answer to Josh Beckett. I've also heard that you have to give up a lot to get a lot.

OK, first things first. Why does everyone believe Santana is the answer to Beckett? When the Red Sox traded for Beckett following the 2005 season, he may never have won 20 games or a CY Young Award, but he proved that he could dominate in the postseason earning himself the MVP of the 2003 World Series when the Marlins beat the Yankees. On top of that, he proved he could flourish on three days rest and go the distance, doing so in Game 6. Beckett's postseason numbers prior to joining the Red Sox were:

6 G 5 GS 42.2 IP 21 H 10 ER 12 BB 47 K

Now let's look at Santana. He's had one 20-win season, won two CY Young Awards, been a three-time All-Star, and won the triple-crown of pitching in 2006. There's no doubt he's been among the best, if not the best in the game for the past four years, but his postseason numbers are nowhere close to his regular season ones (these are from 2003-2006 since he was a reliever during the `02 playoffs):

5G 5GS 17.2 IP 28 H 9 ER 8 BB 26 K

So if you're going to give up half of your farm system and a couple of your best Major League-ready players, don't you want to get someone who has a proven track record come playoff time? After all, the Yankees have had no problems winning games during the regular season, it's been their failure to deliver in the postseason since the collapse in `04 against the Red Sox.

Now how about this saying that you have to give up a lot to get a lot? I couldn't agree more. When you're looking to get one of the best players in the game, you're not going to be able to fleece the team you're trading with.

When talking about this, everyone again seems to bring up Beckett's name, and rightfully so. There's no doubt the Red Sox gave up a lot to get Beckett (Hanley Ramirez, the NL Rookie of the Year in 2006, and Annibal Sanchez, who threw a no-hitter the same season), but they were getting a 25-year old pitcher who was not demanding a contract in excess of $20 million per year, as well as a former All-Star third baseman in Mike Lowell. I understand Lowell was a throw-in because of his contract and his apparent decline, but at the very least you knew he could fill some role on the team.

Now in regards to Santana, you're trading for a guy who's 29 years old, not 25, you're not getting a player like Lowell in return, and you have to shell out an insane amount of money for six or seven years! Don't get me wrong, having Santana at the front of your rotation is a great thought, but to have to give up so much for him, and then lock yourself into a long-term deal for a pitcher, I believe is counter-productive.

Delmon Young to the Twins...

The fact that Bill Smith, the new GM of the Twins, was able to pull of this deal, would scare me if I'm a GM on one of the teams trying to get Santana. Delmon Young is believed to be one of the best young hitters in the game, and he has a cannon for an arm in right field. Yes, he lacks plate discipline, but so does Alfonso Soriano. Maybe he'll learn some, and maybe he won't, but he'll be a star for many years to come in Minnesota creating a very nice middle of the order with Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, and Michael Cuddyer. This was a very nice pre-emptive strike by Smith in his first big move as a GM.

I'll be out of the country for the next week, but I'll be following the action as best as I can, and will be sure to share my thoughts when I return. Thanks for all of your continued support, and we'll talk soon...

Time for the Eagles to move on...

It is growing more and more apparent that the Philadelphia Eagles have to cut ties with Donovan McNabb. While watching last night's game against the Patriots, you could just tell that the Eagles are an entirely different team without him, and a much better one at that. The same thing happened last year when Jeff Garcia took over, and again in 2002 with AJ Feeley. While McNabb has been a model citizen and a great quarterback for that franchise, it's time to move on.

The same thing was true for Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots. He was the face of the franchise, signed a $100 million contract, and the team was going nowhere. Then he got hurt, Tom Brady took over, and poof, the rest is history.

Now what will happen to McNabb if and when the Eagles let him go? Well, he may have a couple of more productive years,, maybe even go play for his hometown Chicago Bears, but just like Bledsoe, and now Culpepper, he may hang on for a few more years, but will never be the player he once was.

 

Johan Santana sweepstakes...

 

I just don't get the infatuation with teams lining up to trade for Johan Santana. Yes, he is probably the best pitcher in baseball, and if not that, then definitely the best lefty in the game, but why should any team give up three of their top young players for him, and then sign him to an absolutely ludicrous contract when you can sign him to that same ludicrous contract next winter when he's a free agent keep those young players?

I understand the Twins are in a precarious position, but just because they're asking for the moon and the stars doesn't mean you have to give it to them. It seems to me that they're in a pretty crummy position right now, and do not have the upper hand in any negotiations.

And speaking of that contract, why are teams, and by those I mean the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Angels, willing to give a pitcher $25 million a year for six years??? I understand people are using Barry Zito's seven year $126 million contract as the benchmark, but is that really fair?

Why can't owners and GMs stand up to the agents and say, "Look, I realize Zito got that money, and you're light years better than him. But that contract was a HUGE mistake, and it's one that will cripple the Giants over the next six years. So while we think you're great, and deserve a hefty contract, there's no chance in hell we're giving you that kind of money for six or seven years, sorry."

The same thing will be true next year when the Angels are forced to resign Francisco Rodriguez to a ridiculous deal, thanks to the Reds and their contract for Francisco Cordero. It's a vicious pattern that has to be put to a rest.

 

Random Thoughts on College Basketball...

I got the chance to go to the Memphis-UCONN game a little over a week ago at Madison Square Garden, and just had a couple of quick thoughts on both teams.

Memphis' Chris Douglas-Roberts is a star in the making. He's a guy who can put the ball on the floor, finish with both hands, shoot from the outside, and also make the mid-range jumper. He reminds me a little of a more athletic version of Richard Hamilton.

UCONN's Hasheem Thabeet is far from being a force to be reckoned with. Yes, he is 7'3 and can block/alter shots on the defensive end, but he struggles mightily on the offensive end, and has difficulty grabbing a rebound unless it's right in front of him. The fact that there was even consideration for him to enter the NBA Draft last season is very disturbing.

And staying with the Huskies, they seemed lost on the offensive end when A.J. Price was not on the floor. Jerome Dyson picked up the slack in the second half, but this is a team that will need to get consistent contributions from those two players as well as Jeff Adrien, and a few others off the bench to be successful this year. Oh yeah, they continue to struggle from the free throw line which has been a problem for UCONN teams over the past several years, and could haunt them again this season.